Narcisa Polonio, Ed.D.

Executive Vice President for Education, Research, and Board Leadership Services

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Office:(202) 775.4670 | Mobile:(202) 276.1983

Narcisa A. Polonio is the Executive Vice President of Education, Research & Board Leadership Services at the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). ACCT has a long and distinguished history of providing outstanding services to boards of trustees. Dr. Polonio is recognized as one of the leading authorities on community college governance and presidential leadership. She has facilitated over 300 board retreats and presidential searches. She provides direction for ACCT’s annual leadership Congress, publications, research projects and leadership services including their Retreat Service; Executive Search Service; the Governance Leadership Institute; and New & Experienced Trustees Institutes.

Dr. Polonio directs The Trustees for Student Success initiative, which seeks to increase the engagement of community college trustees and governing boards in the student success movement. This initiative includes the nationally acclaimed Governance Institute for Student Success (GISS), in partnership with the University of Texas, Austin, and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. GISS institutes enable trustees and presidents to learn and share methodologies to propel actions leading to student success and completion.

She also provides leadership to several different initiatives, including: the Trustee Education Webinar Series, Community College Governance Recognition Program, and Completion Symposia; supported by grants from the Kresge Foundation, Lumina Foundation and corporate contributions.

Dr. Polonio previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for Replication and Program Strategies, Inc. (RPS) in Philadelphia, PA, president of Harcum College (PA) and Hudson County Community College (NJ), and Director of the Office of Community Colleges, New Jersey Department of Higher Education. Dr. Polonio served for seven years as a faculty member for the Institute for Educational Management, Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.

She has an extensive list of publications and speaks throughout the country on issues related to governance, leadership, and diversity.

Dr. Polonio attended Foothill Community College, CA and holds a BA in History from San Jose State University (CA), an MA from Stanford University (CA), an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.